The Omega Becomes The Zerg Queen - Chapter 24

Chapter 24: Honey-Brewing

“Heh.”

In the secret chamber, the King let out a soft sigh, her tone tinged with regret. “Given your less-than-satisfactory performance just now, let’s leave that question for the end.”

Ferran’s crimson eyes flickered. Beneath the muzzle, his lips were pulled into a straight line, but his voice remained humble. “As you command, Your Majesty.”

“Let him in, Zephyros,” Su Lili ordered toward the door. “Ferran, cover your eyes. After entering, walk five steps straight, turn left three steps, and stand still.”

This was her first move. She was gambling.

The secret chamber was pitch black, but once the door opened, light from outside would flood in. High-level Zerg had incredible vision; she wasn’t sure if that brief flash of light would be enough for Ferran to see the layout of the room. Thus, she ordered him to blindfold himself first.

A compliance test: start with a simple request, see if they follow through, and then raise the stakes step by step. Her fingers gripped the ring on her hand tightly, her eyes locked on the entrance.

Upon receiving the King’s order, Zephyros—however reluctant—stood aside. Without the shield of his massive bone wings, the thick, sweet fragrance wafted out through the crack in the door once more.

Ferran’s gaze darkened, his deep brow furrowing further. Today, he wore a loose silk white shirt and matching trousers. The smooth, flowing fabric was quite form-fitting; even the slightest physical change was glaringly obvious.

Zephyros glanced sideways. As his gaze swept over Ferran, a disdainful smirk curled his lips, and he let out a contemptuous snort.

“Is that all?” he mouthed silently to Ferran.

“?” Ferran glared back. Recalling the brief glimpse he’d just had, he made a mental comparison. It seemed… Zephyros was indeed a tiny bit larger.

But so what? Only a useless bug who has nothing else to offer would cling to a one-centimeter difference. Besides, hardware isn’t everything—it’s the technique that matters.

He lifted his chin arrogantly. He was confident that his skill and spirit of inquiry would not lose to any bug.

Furthermore… He rolled up his slightly long sleeves and tore a strip of silk from the hem. The soft material of his shirt outlined his muscle definition, with fine hand-sewn pleats layering over his frame. The V-neck was loose, partially revealing the honey-chamber at the center of his collarbone and a patch of fair chest.

He raised the silk strip, covered his eyes, and tied a knot behind his head. The smooth fabric tightened over his high nose and deep brow; the faint tremors of his long lashes were visible beneath.

Turning his head, Ferran’s “gaze” fell on Zephyros’s face. He brushed a finger over the honey-chamber between his collarbones, a silent counter-attack:

Do you have this? The one entering the room is me, not you.

…

In the pitch-black, silent chamber, the heavy door was pushed open, and cold orange sunlight spilled inside.

The sudden light made her eyes ache. Su Lili squinted, suppressing the urge to blink, and stared fixedly at the newcomer.

The bright light cast a long shadow before him as Ferran entered with steady steps. The silk strip over his face didn’t hinder him at all; his gait remained composed and elegant. Following the King’s instructions, he came to a halt in the center of the room.

In truth, his heart was far from the calm he projected.

Unlike the faint wisps of scent drifting through the door crack, the air inside this sealed room had been accumulating the sweet fragrance for a long time. It had concentrated and fermented, turning the atmosphere into a humid, aromatic fog.

The seductive scent made his entire body turn hard and hot. The sweet softness enveloped him, giving him the fleeting illusion of being pulled into the King’s embrace.

The room was dark. Ferran’s thoughts were a tangled mess—he didn’t know whether to feel relieved or disappointed. Because it was dark, the King couldn’t see the changes in his body. Yet, a part of him secretly hoped she would see.

Through the translucent white silk, he could vaguely see the King’s silhouette. She was leaning against the wall, facing him, watching him. This realization made his body ache with tension.

Ferran bowed his body, head lowered toward the floor in a submissive posture. “My King, am I standing in the right spot?”

“Mhm,” Su Lili replied softly.

Not wanting her pheromones to leak further and affect others, she raised her voice: “Close the door, Zephyros.”

The metal door groaned shut. The sliver of gold light on their faces narrowed and then vanished. The room plunged back into darkness. In the humid air, only their breathing could be heard.

With the light gone, Ferran relied on the cover of darkness. He greedily opened his mouth, capturing the sweet scent in the air with deep breaths, using his imagination to trace the King’s silhouette through the void.

Su Lili rubbed the ring on her finger and asked slowly, “How is your Honey-Brewing?”

“Sss—!”

Ferran inhaled sharply. Honey-brewing was an act of supreme intimacy among Bee-types. They usually only brewed for their mates. The resulting honey not only provided nourishment but also served as a tool for “pleasure.”

To ask someone directly how the honey they brewed for you was doing… To a Bee-type, that was essentially a direct invitation for intimacy.

Ferran’s breathing grew heavier. His midsection tightened like a starving predator ready to pounce.

“Well?” Not getting a response, Su Lili asked again.

In the hot chamber, the King’s usually crisp voice sounded somewhat ambiguous. Even a simple breath now carried an inexplicable color.

Ferran shifted restlessly. He dug his sharp nails into his palms, using the pain to claw back his sanity. “It is not yet fully formed, Your Majesty.”

In the darkness, his voice trembled. “As you know, brewing honey requires intense emotion and physical interaction. The stronger the emotion and the more intimate the interaction, the higher the grade and yield of the honey.”

“My feelings for you have already reached the limit, but…” He sounded as though he found it difficult to speak. “But our interaction is not yet enough. Therefore, it still needs time.”

Su Lili’s beautiful brows knitted into a tight knot. Her tone was displeased. “Are you complaining that I haven’t favored you enough?”

“Of course not, Your Majesty.” His tone was panicked, sounding genuinely worried.

“Hmph.” Su Lili snorted. She rubbed her chin and said leisurely, “If you can produce honey today, I’ll consider you to have passed this test.”

So it really was for the honey. But why did the King need it so urgently right now? Ferran’s mind raced. Originally, the honey was meant to improve her constitution and soothe her spirit. The King had called him here specifically today and asked about the honey… could it be?

The King had suffered an accident today. This accident meant she needed the honey to recover, but she specifically made him cover his eyes. This suggested the King was currently in a poor state and didn’t want to be seen.

Beneath the muzzle, he licked his dry lips. His mouth curled into a hyena-like grin. A weakened King, alone in a room with me.

“Of course, Your Majesty,” he heard himself say. “However, could the King favor your servant a bit more?” His tone was full of expectation. “If the King is willing to let me touch you a bit more, I can certainly produce the honey.”

Touch? Su Lili pursed her lips. She hadn’t forgotten the strange sensation of her gland being touched the night before; she really didn’t want any more physical contact with Ferran right now. Moreover, looking at the man’s two-star loyalty on the system panel, she knew she couldn’t trust this stray dog too much.

“Does a person awaiting sentencing still hope for the King’s intimacy?” she said with feigned anger. “If you complete the test, I might consider that as a reward.”

“Apologies, My King. I have offended you.” The man’s voice shook, his tone sorrowful. “Then, could the King grant me a personal item to use instead? Otherwise, the brewing truly cannot be completed.”

This request wasn’t too excessive. Today, she was wearing her training combat gear—a white shirt under a small black leather vest. Su Lili thought for a moment, took off the vest, and tossed it toward him.

In the darkness, she couldn’t see clearly. She had tossed it casually, but the slim-fit vest ended up landing right on the man’s face.

The chamber was stuffy. Her earlier struggle had been intense, and a thin layer of sweat had soaked her body. The light, breathable shirt was damp, and the leather vest was likewise warmed and moistened by her body heat. To the touch, it felt almost like human skin.

The fragrance-laden vest covered the man’s handsome, wicked face completely. With his vision cut off, his sense of smell became even more acute. The sweet scent—thicker and more intoxicating than what was in the air—enveloped all of Ferran’s senses. He reached up, pressing the vest against his face, his nose sliding and rubbing against the damp leather.

His throat bobbed as he let out a beast-like low growl. His emotions surged, and his entire body burned with a painful heat. The vest was too small to cover everything. With trembling hands, he moved the vest to a different spot.

The vest was high-waisted and snug, with little fabric; it couldn’t cover him entirely. Ferran gripped the leather and began to grind. In the silent room, the sound of ambiguous splashing echoed.

At the center of his collarbones, the pale pink honey-chamber turned a vivid red. Droplets of pale yellow began to seep out, gradually pooling into a reservoir of honey.

He let out a low laugh. “My King… the honey is ready.”

The man’s ecstatic panting made her face burn. Su Lili’s toes curled together, her voice dry. “It’s ready? Then bring it to me.”

“Apologies, My King. Bee-type honey can only be kept within the honey-chamber.” The man seemed to shift his posture, his chains clinking softly. His voice was lazy, sounding strangely satiated. “You must… come and take it personally.”

Why is it so much trouble? Su Lili’s face scrunched up. Fortunately, she had recovered some strength. She gripped her ring, used the wall for support, and stood up. “Come here then.”

Ferran followed her voice and approached. He had simulated her position in his mind countless times, so his steps were unerring. He soon stood directly before her. The man was tall; once he was close, he almost completely overshadowed her, his hot chest right at the level of her nose.

The thick honey scent swirled around her. Perhaps it was her weakened body’s instinctive craving for the brew, but Su Lili felt a wave of intense hunger. Swallowing hard, she reached out both hands.

Her slender, white fingertips fumbled, moving up along the pleats of his shirt, her rounded nails tracing lines of itchiness. After circling once, she finally located the source of the scent. The vivid red “mound” was blooming at the center of his collarbones. Su Lili estimated the position, stood on her tiptoes, tilted her head back, and pressed her dry lips against it.

The thick, sweet nectar slid into her mouth. The sensation of her mental sea being nourished was a numbing, addictive pleasure. She swallowed in large gulps, trying to get more. Her teeth accidentally grazed the sensitive flesh at the tip, causing a sharp sting of pain and itchiness to shoot through him.

The honey was rich and flowed steadily. Some of it, too much to swallow in time, dripped from the corners of her mouth, leaving sticky, wet patches on the man’s fine silk shirt.

Wrapped in that warm, moist mouth, Ferran’s mind wandered. A Bee-type only brews for one person in their entire life. Seeing his honey so desperately craved by the other brought the bee an ultimate sense of satisfaction. As the honey flowed into her, it felt as though he and the King were becoming one.

He pushed his chest forward, offering the honey-chamber deeper into the King’s mouth. He thought, almost entranced, that it wouldn’t be bad at all to brew for the King like this forever.

System: Ferran Favorability: ★★★★★ (Until Death Do Us Part)

System: Grade D Mental Power Remaining: 5%… 20%… 50%… 80%…

As the last drop of nectar was sucked away, Su Lili’s mental power stabilized at 80%. The feeling of having both her mental sea and her stomach “full” was addictive. She smacked her lips, actually giving Ferran a somewhat pleasant look for once.

“Not bad. You did well.”

Ferran reached out, his hand passing by the girl’s ear to brace against the wall, trapping her beneath him. He leaned down, the cold muzzle brushing against her ear. He murmured in a low, husky voice, “Then, does this count as completing the King’s test?”

Before Su Lili could answer, he hooked an arm around her slim waist and lifted her up, cradling her in his arms. He rubbed his chin against the top of her head affectionately. “The King said… if I did it, there would be a reward.”

“You!!” Su Lili glared at him, her finger pressing on the edge of her ring. “Put me down right now, or else—”

Before she could finish, the man set her down. Ferran stepped aside, raising both hands in a gesture of surrender, his tone aggrieved. “Didn’t the King say she would give me a reward? Are you going to go back on your word?”

“…” Su Lili ground her teeth. She had said it, but it was just a “pie in the sky” to get him to brew. She had planned to give him some random reward to brush him off, but this bug had acted first and “cashed in” the reward himself.

Now, it was hard for her to say anything more. Besides, his favorability had just gained another star. Su Lili glanced at the system panel; though this bug had low loyalty, his favorability was actually the first to reach max stars.

Fine, fine. For the sake of that favorability star, I’ll let him off this time.

She shot him a sharp look. In the dark room, the girl’s fierce expression was like a kitten baring its claws at an enemy. Ferran let out a low laugh. Though he couldn’t see, now that her mental power was restored, he could vaguely sense her emotions at this distance.

The King was very unhappy with him. Yet, she was helpless to do anything about it.

He suppressed the urge to reach out and pat her head. As he followed her out of the room, he thought to himself: These chains are really in the way.

—I must find a way to get them off as soon as possible.